Deimos Vindicator
]] The Deimos Vindicator, sometimes called the Deimos Pattern Vindicator, is an early pattern of the Imperial Vindicator siege tank that was used by the Space Marine Legions during the Great Crusade and later during the Horus Heresy in the late 30th and early 31st Millennia. The Deimos Vindicator, like the now common Mars Pattern Vindicator, is a Rhino variant that features improved armour, particularly on the vehicle's front and sides, and a hull-mounted forward-firing Demolisher Cannon. The Deimos Vindicator is a variant of the Deimos Rhino, which was much more common during those ancient days than at present, although many Deimos Vindicators are still operational in the service of Space Marine Chapters in the late 41st Millennium. The Deimos Vindicator, like the Mars Pattern Vindicator, is used as an assault and siege tank, usually during urban combat where its main weapon's short range is most useful. The Deimos Vindicator is effective at destroying enemy barricades and other obstacles during urban conflict and is usually found directly supporting infantry squads, as its heavy armour and low hull profile increases its survivability, offering the supporting infantry the equivalent of a mobile strong-point. The Deimos Vindicator can also be used as an assault tank, spearheading attacks on enemy fortifications and strong-points by relentlessly closing in on the enemy and unleashing the power of its main weapons. Armament Legion with its Demolisher Cannon visible]] The Deimos Vindicator is armed with a hull-mounted, forward-firing Demolisher Cannon that unleashes massive, rocket-propelled high-explosive shells that are capable of inflicting great amounts of damage against enemy structures, vehicles, and groups of tightly-packed enemy infantry. The Deimos Pattern Vindicator, unlike the Mars Pattern Vindicator, can have its Demolisher Cannon replaced with a Laser Destroyer Array, turning the vehicle into a tank hunter similar to the Sabre Tank Hunter. The Deimos Vindicator is also armed with a remote-controlled pintle-mounted Combi-Bolter, or a Storm Bolter. The vehicle can take an additional Combi-Bolter or other Combi-Weapon, a Heavy Flamer, a Heavy Bolter, or a Havoc Missile Launcher as a manually-controlled pintle weapon. The Deimos Vindicator can be outfitted with a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a Dozer Blade, an Auxiliary Drive System, Extra Armour Plating, Armoured Ceramite Plating, a Machine Spirit, a Searchlight, or Smoke Launchers to improve its effectiveness on the battlefield. Unit Composition *'1-3 Deimos Vindicator Siege Tanks (31st Millennium Only)' Wargear A standard Legion Deimos Vindicator is armed and equipped with: *'Demolisher Cannon' *'Twin-linked Bolters (Combi-Bolter)' *'Searchlight' *'Smoke Launchers' A Legion Deimos Vindicator may replace its hull-mounted Demolisher Cannon with one of the following weapons: *'Laser Destroyer Array (This addition upgrades the Deimos Vindicator into a Deimos Vindicator Laser Destroyer)' A Legion Deimos Vindicator may take one of the following additional pintle-mounted weapons: *'Twin-linked Bolters (Combi-Bolter)' *'Combi-Weapon' *'Heavy Bolter' *'Heavy Flamer' *'Multi-Melta' *'Havoc Missile Launcher' Legion Deimos Vindicators may also have a variety of vehicle equipment such as: *'Dozer Blade' *'Mine Plough' *'Extra Armour Plating' *'Armoured Ceramite Plating' *'Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher' *'Auxiliary Drive System' *'Machine Spirit (Artificial Intelligence)' When in a squadron of three, one Legion Deimos Vindicator can be upgraded to the following: *'Squadron Command Tank' Variants *'Chaos Deimos Vindicator Siege Tank' - The Vindicator is an assault tank that has served largely unaltered since the Great Crusade with both Loyalist and Traitor Space Marines. Its particular service history with the Forces of Chaos goes back to its prominent role in the battles of the Horus Heresy, where its power was brought to devastating effect not least by the Traitor Legions in the Siege of the Imperial Palace during the cataclysmic Battle of Terra, where hundreds of Vindicators were used as the armoured spearhead of attacks to battle through line after line of bitterly contested defences. Since that Age of Darkness, the Vindicator has been used in countless battles by numerous factions within the Chaos Space Marines. It has seen particular service amongst the Iron Warriors Traitor Legion, whose penchant for siege warfare and a tactical doctrine of brutal direct assaults is well served by the Vindicator. Also, given the numbers of newly constructed Vindicators fielded in the armies of the 13th Black Crusade, it seems likely that either the Iron Warriors or some other faction possesses the required machine lore to mass-produce these war engines. Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications The Adeptus Mechanicus has not made the technical specifications of the Deimos Vindicator publicly available at this time. Sources *''The Horus Heresy - Book One: Betrayal'' (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 221, 225 *''The Horus Heresy - Book Three: Extermination'' (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 100-101 *''The Horus Heresy - Book Six: Retribution'' (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 53, 123, 159, 186, 241 *''The Horus Heresy: Legiones Astartes - Age of Darkness Army List'' pg. 69 *''Imperial Armour Volume Thirteen - War Machines of the Lost & The Damned'' by Andy Hoare with additional material by Alan Bligh & Neil Wylie, pp. 34-36 *''Forge World - Legion Deimos Pattern Vindicator'' Gallery DeimosVindicator01.png|A Pre-Heresy Deimos Vindicator of the World Eaters Legion, front-left view DeimosVindicator03.png|An unmarked Pre-Heresy Deimos Vindicator that is believed to belong to the Alpha Legion Space Marine Legion, rear-left view DeimosVindicator04.png|An unmarked Pre-Heresy Deimos Vindicator believed to be of the Alpha Legion, dorsal view AL Deimos Pattern Vindicator Tank.jpg|A Pre-Heresy Alpha Legion Deimos pattern Vindicator; note that it lacks cumbersome Siege Shield, and carrying only "half-load" of munitions to reduce weight Daemon Possessed_Deimos Vindicator.png|Unidentified Chaos Deimos Pattern Vindicator Siege Tank discovered in 300.M40 on the twilight world of Celephace, having lain dormant beneath the irradiated sands for many long millennia DeimosVindicator0000.png|An ancient pict-capture of a Deimos Vindicator during the Horus Heresy DeimosVindicator0001.png|An ancient pict-capture of a Deimos Vindicator believed to have belonged to the Alpha Legion during the Horus Heresy Category:D Category:Chaos Category:Chaos Space Marines Category:Chaos Vehicles Category:Imperial Tanks Category:Imperial Vehicles Category:Imperium Category:Space Marine Vehicles Category:Space Marines Category:Tanks Category:Vehicles